N7s
by Cloaked Protagonist
Summary: What if Jane Shephard wasn't the only N7 in the family? What if she fought side by side with her brother, both working towards the same goal in different ways. Featuring action, explosions, krogans, and maybe romance?
1. Chapter 1

**-Rio de Janeiro, Earth-**

"I would like to congratulate you both on this momentous occasion," said the Alliance instructor. "It is not every day we have someone earn the N7 designation. The villa is one of the toughest training programs in not only the Alliance, but the galaxy. You are the best of the best that humanity has to offer. I present you this year's N7 graduates, Thomas and Jane Shepard."

The curtains pulled away to show Jane and I standing to attention in front of the crowd of people cheering. I glanced sideways and saw that Jane was stern as always. I waved to the crowd, causing them to increase in volume. Mom always did say I was a people person.

"These extraordinary soldiers will now step forward and make a public statement for both the Alliance, and the rest of the Citadel. I will turn it over to them now," then he stood to the side with the other Alliance Officer. Jane and I walked towards the podium and she stepped to it first.

"My name is Jane Shepard and I would like to thank the Alliance for the many opportunities it has and will continue to give me. I will preform to the best of my abilities to provide the safety and security that the Alliance will offer. Thank you," she said stepping back. Short, sweet, and to the point. Just like Jane. I made my way in front of the podium and flashed a smile, that was broadcasted on the screen overhead.

"Family, friends, fellow soldier, and anyone else who may be watching at this time, I would ask that you lend me your attention. What we have accomplished here is nothing less than the results of long hours of hard work, dedication, and most importantly, a willingness to get the job done. The title of N7 means many things to many people. Some see it as a symbol of war in a time of peace. Others think of it as a sign for advancement of humanity. I am here to say that it is neither of these things. To put it simply, being a N7 is to be a beacon of hope. We are dispatched to handle what seems like hopeless situations on paper. We will prevail. We are sent to help to handle the worst that the galaxy has to offer. But we will prevail. Most importantly, we are sent to make sure the best possible resolution is reached, whether it be by combat, or reason. We have and will continue to prevail. So, I hope that humanity and the rest of the galaxy will join me in celebrating on this momentous occasion, to peace," I said snapping off a salute at the end of my speech. The rest of the Alliance personnel copied my gesture then the feed was cut.

"So, what's in store for the Shepard siblings next?" asked Captain Wolf, our weapons instructor. I shook his hand as did Jane and she said,

"We're going to be taking some shore leave in Elysium until we get our posts."

"Yeah, we're catching a ride with some of the marines heading there," I cut in, "We actually need to get going if we don't want to miss it."

"I won't keep you then, dismissed," he said saluting us. We saluted back and made our way to the shuttles headed for our transport.

"Isn't it a bit overkill that they gave us our own shuttle?" I asked.

"You're an elite soldier now, people tend to get a little funny when you can kill them with little to no effort," Jane smoothly replied.

"Effortless? If I remember correctly, I had to drag your ass halfway through the jungle," I joked.

"Well, at least I didn't shoot myself on our first day of basic," she shot back.

"Touché, sis. Wake me when we get there," I said laying back.

"You're such a bum, you didn't even bring a pistol," she said sitting hers to the side and pulling up her omni-tool.

"This is shore leave, not a training mission. Besides, I heard Elysium isn't even a big colony. It'll be fine."

"I'm not taking any chances," she said, "Get some sleep."

"You don't have to tell me twice," I said, closing my eyes and drifting into the darkness.

 **-Some time later-**

"Wake up, we're under attack," came a voice I didn't recognize. I opened my eyes to see some women in Alliance fatigues, a gun in her hand.

"What's happening?" I asked half asleep, standing from the seat.

"The colonies being raided, batarians I think."

"What are you doing in here? Shouldn't you be out there helping?" I was fully awake now and trying to get my bearings.

"There's another N7 trying to organize a resistance. She told me to come get you. I'm Riley, by the way," she said as the door to the hangar opened. Two batarians walked in, weapons raised and ready to fire. "I can lay down some fire, so you can get out of here," Riley whispered to me.

"No need, Riley, just stay quiet and let me handle this," I told her loading up the cloaking program on my omni-tool. I disappeared from sight and snuck my way around to some crates. I climbed on top of them as my cloak timed out, it didn't matter though.

The batarians passed under me and I silently hopped down behind them. I pulled the batarian in the back's pistol out of his holster and pressed it against his head. "One noise and your brain will be all over your buddy there," I said quietly. "Sit the shotgun on the ground and get on your knees," I instructed him.

"DIE HUMAN!" he yelled trying to turn but slumped to the ground as I pulled the trigger. I ducked behind a crate as his buddy turned, but he was lit up from behind by Riley. Unfortunately, she didn't manage to get through his shield and she had to duck back into cover in behind the shuttle as he opened fire with his assault rifle. Big mistake. Never turn your back on an armed enemy. I spun out of my cover and finished off his shield, lacing his spine with a cluster of bullets.

"You can come out now," I called to Riley, inspecting the rifle my victim dropped. She approached me, her gun holstered. I tossed her the rifle as she approached, startling her so much she almost dropped it.

"That was pretty intense," she admitted.

"That was nothing. I figured we have 10 minutes at the most before they send a squad to investigate these missing guys. We need to get out of her," I told her. "I need you to keep it together out there and stick close to me. Okay?"

"Yeah, I can do that."

"Great, where was the N7 at?"

"She's at the hospital. We've bunkered down there, but every wave that comes we lose more people."

"Alright, can you get there without being seen?"

"I think I can. They're sticking to the main streets, so I should be fine if I stick to the alleys."

"Good, go there and do whatever she tells you," I said standing.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"Officially, I'm going to search for survivors. Unofficially," I said with a low voice, "I'm going to help clear the horde. Good luck," I said activating my cloak and running out the door. I climbed my way through a building and made it up to the roof. I looked over the city and saw firefights over the city. There also looked like a sniper's nest on one of the building near what I assume is the breach that they're using to get into the city.

I made my way back down into the streets and began to make my way towards the nest. I had to use my cloak three different times to avoid patrols headed towards where most of the fighting was happening. I made my way into the building and ran into who I assume is a sentry. He was sitting there on his omni-tool, a drink in his hand. The colony is being invaded, and this fucker is lounging like it's a paid vacation. I snuck behind him, wrapping my arm around his neck and twisting with a quick jerk. He fell to the ground limply and I picked up his rifle. I made my way to the roof, killing three more raiders on the way, I looked over into the nest and saw a lone sniper, laughing and popping shots at anything that moved. I lifted the rifle and fired until it overheated, my rage getting the best of me for the moment. I picked up his sniper and adjusted the sight, looking towards where the other squads were headed. They were making a push towards the hospital, and I could see Jane covering the entrance as marines and colonist fell back into the building.

I lined up my scope with the first batarian I saw and pulled the trigger, his chest popping open much to the rest of their confusion. I lined up another shot and killed another, causing them to fall back into cover. The combined fire from the hospital and my sniper made quick work of the remaining batarians. I moved my scope to check on Jane again and she flashed thumbs up in my general direction. I then turned my attention another firefight that was happening about two blocks away.

I looked and saw that Riley was being fired at by two heavily armored batarians. I lined my shot up and fired, knocking an assault rifle out of one of their hands. I fired again and hit him in his shoulder, not a fatal hit but it'll buy some time while my gun cools down. Riley popped up and unleashed a barrage of fire, causing the other to duck in cover. I fired off two quick shots in his chest when an explosion suddenly shook the building I was on. I looked over the side and saw that a portion of the bottom was missing, and it was going to fall. It began to tilt, so I got in the stairway and braced myself the best that I could. Pieces of debris fell around me, one catching me in my head and my vision went fuzzy.

"Is anyone there, can you hear us?" I heard someone calling out.

"I'm over here," I yelled back, shaking my head. Debris from the building was pulled out from on top of me and I was met by the familiar sight of Alliance marines. "It's about time reinforcements came," I said with a grimace as the helped me to my feet. I applied pressure and felt a stabbing pain in my left leg. Limping towards the rescue party, I found myself face to face with Rear Admiral Kahoku.

"You'll have to forgive me if I don't salute, sir."

"I understand, Shepard. Where's the rest of the survivors?" Kahoku asked.

"Jane has them held up in the hospital. I was on the roof providing support around the city," I explained as I waved off a medic.

"I've heard the reports," he said slinging my arm around his shoulders. "Apparently the N7 at the hospital recruited an assassin to help the colony," he said with a smirk.

"I'm going to kill her," I said as we walked past a shot down batarian transport, in front of the hospital.

"I need everyone with any medical training on the third floor, anyone that isn't half dead, on the second. If you can fight, get a gun and get on the first floor. I want this place ready in case any more comes," Jane barked out orders as we approached.

"No need for that," Kahoku made his presence known. Jane immediately stood at attention and saluted, as did the other Alliance soldiers. "The batarians are fleeing the system. We've won."

"Hey sis, I thought I told you to wake me up?" I called out.

"We both see where that got us, I guess you can come along for drinks next time," she replied, slapping me on the arm.

"I'll see to it that you both get commendations for this, you did good out here," Kahoku informed us. "You'll be receiving promotions, also. Commander Shepard," he said looking at Jane, "I suggest you prepare evac for yourself and the Gunnery Chief here," he said nodding my way.

"Awe come on, I get gunnery chief while she gets commander? That's not fair at all," I said pouting.

"And that's two promotions instead of my one, so deal with it," Jane said nudging my leg. I winced in pain and glared at her.

 **-3 months later, an unidentified Alliance vessel-**

"Well, what about Shepard?" Udina asked.

"Which one?" came Anderson's reply.

"Either one of them, they're a spacer. Grew up on starships their whole life."

"Military service runs in their family," Anderson said, "Both their parents were in the navy."

"They also proved their selves during the Blitz. Held of enemy forces on the ground until reinforcements arrived," came the voice of Admiral Hackett.

"They are the only reason Elysium is still standing," came Anderson.

"We can't question their courage," Udina strained out.

"Humanity needs a hero, and both of the Shepard's are the best we've got."

"We still have to pick one. The council would never consider both for candidacy. What are they like?" Udina pointed out.

"Let's see here," Hackett began. "Commander Jane Shepard. Age 28. She didn't specialize in any training, other than the N7 designation, although she shows biotic potential. Follows orders to a tee, doing everything by the book. Phycological examinations show that she tends to be quiet, preferring actions over words."

"Someone who won't question us and get the job done. An ideal candidate," Udina pointed out.

"Let's not count out her brother, though," Anderson cut that train of thought off. "Gunnery Chief Thomas Shepard. Age 20. Enlisted at the age of 18 and rose quickly to the rank of Corporal before being offered a position in the N7 program under his sister's recommendation, who was a N2 at the time. He quickly caught up with her and finished the program in record time. He is also the youngest N7 graduate to date. He also broke the record for the longest confirmed sniper kill during the Blitz, with a shot from on top of a building on a moving target. He knows the importance of keeping something discreet, but he also knows how to handle a crowd. Following his graduation speech from N7 candidacy training, Alliance recruitment spiked by 7%. He's also been trained in the infiltrator program and started training in the engineering program. He can handle just about anything thrown his way, whether it be mercenaries or politicians," Anderson gave a pointed look at Udina at the end.

"I remember that speech, caused a lot of talk on the Citadel," Udina mentioned. "I'll give both dossiers and let our sponsor choose between them. I'll make the call."

 _ **So here we go. I have this story saved in 3 different places so I shouldn't have to worry about losing any of it. Let me know what you think of it so far. Strong start to an epic story? Could it use some work? Let me know.**_

 _ **P.S. I don't own Mass Effect**_


	2. Chapter 2

**-SSV Normandy, 3 months later-**

"The Arcturus Prime relay is in range. Initiating transmission sequence," Joker announced as I made my way to the helm. Jane was already there overseeing things with Nihlus. "We are connected. Calculating transit mass and destination. The relay is hot. Acquiring approach vector. All stations secure for transit." I made my way over to where Kaiden was sitting, intent on enjoying the view. "The board is green. Approach run has begun. Hitting the relay in 3…2…1…" The Normandy was wrapped in the glow from the relay and then shot faster than the speed of light towards our destination. The glow disappeared, and I could see one of the planets in the system.

"Thrusters, check. Navigation, check. Internal emissions sink engaged. All systems online. Drift… just under 1500 K." Joker went through his checklist.

"1500 is good. Your captain will be pleased," Nihlus said as he made his exit.

"I hate that guy," Joker told us.

"Nihlus gave you a compliment… so you hate him?" Kaiden asked confused.

"You remember to zip your jumpsuit on the way out of the bathroom? That's good. I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pinhead. So that's incredible. Besides, Spectres are trouble. I don't like having him on board. Call me paranoid," Joker admitted.

"You're paranoid. The Council helped fund this project. They have a right to send someone to keep and eye on their investment," Jane cut in.

"Yeah, that is the official story," Joker started, "But only an idiot believes the official story."

"I agree with Joker on this one, sis. They don't send Spectres on shakedown runs," I agreed.

"Exactly, there's more going on here than the captain's letting on." Joker gave his input.

"Joker. Status report," came Captain Anderson's voice over the comms.

"Just cleared the mass relay, Captain. Stealth systems engaged. Everything looks solid."

"Good. Find a comm buoy and link us into the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime," Anderson replied.

"Aye, aye, Captain. Better brace yourself, sir. I think Nihlus is headed your way," Joker tried to warn.

"He's already here, Lieutenant. Tell Commander Shepard to meet me in my quarters for a status update. Send the Gunnery Chief to the comm room for debriefing, also." Anderson said dryly.

"You both hear that?" Joker asked us, but Jane had already left.

"I heard you, Joker. Keep us from crashing," I told him as I left. I made my way to the comms room, nodding at Chakwas and Jenkins as I passed, and entered. I noticed that Nihlus was in the room, also.

"Gunnery Chief Shepard." He acknowledged me. "I was hoping you'd get here first. It will give us a chance to talk."

"You want to talk? I guess that's fine, but I'm supposed to be meeting Captain Anderson here for a debriefing," I told him.

"I know. He's on his way. I'm interested in this world we're going to — Eden Prime. I've heard it's quite beautiful."

"They say it's a paradise."

"Yes... a paradise. Serene. Tranquil. Safe. Eden Prime has become something of a symbol for your people, hasn't it? Proof that humanity can not only establish colonies across the galaxy, but also protect them. But how safe is it, really?" Nihlus asked.

"What are you implying? Is there something happening that I should know?"

"Your people are still newcomers, Shepard. The galaxy can be a very dangerous place. Is the Alliance truly ready for this?"

"I think it's about time we told the chief what's really going on." Anderson said as he entered with Jane, "I've already informed the commander."

"This mission is far more than a simple shakedown run. We're making a covert pick-up on Eden Prime. That's why we needed the stealth systems operational." Nihlus told me.

"Why keep us in the dark? We've handled tougher missions before?" I asked.

"This comes down from the top, Commander. Information strictly on a need-to-know basis. A research team on Eden Prime unearthed some kind of beacon during an excavation. It was Prothean." Anderson informed me.

"I thought the Protheans vanished 50,000 years ago." Jane said.

"Their legacy still remains. The mass relays, the Citadel, our ship drives - it's all based on Prothean technology." Nihlus supplied.

"This is big. The last time humanity made a discovery like this, it jumped our technology forward two hundred years. But Eden Prime doesn't have the facilities to handle something like this. We need to bring the beacon back to the Citadel for proper study." Anderson continued.

"And if this beacon contains information as important as our ship drives, it could affect everyone. Not just humanity," I put together, "That's why the Council sent a Spectre."

"Exactly, but the beacon's not the only reason I'm here, Shepard." Nihlus said looking at me.

"Nihlus wants to see you in action. He's here to evaluate you." Anderson informed me.

"Why? What have I done that's so special?" I asked.

"The Alliance has been pushing for this for a long time. Humanity wants a larger role in shaping interstellar policy. We want more say with the Citadel Council. The Spectres represent the Council's power and authority. If they accept a human into their ranks, it shows how far the Alliance has come." Anderson said.

"You held off an enemy assault during the Blitz with minimal help. You showed not only courage but also incredible skill. That's why I put your name forward as a candidate for the Spectres," came Nihlus.

"Why would you want me in the Spectres? Most turians resent humanity." I inquired.

"Not all turians resent humanity. Some of us see the potential of your species. We see what you have to offer to the rest of the galaxy... and to the Spectres. We are an elite group. It's rare to find an individual with the skills we seek. I don't care that you're human, Shepard. I only care that you can do the job."

"You support this, captain?" I asked. Obviously, my commanding officer's opinion mattered on this matter.

"Earth needs this, Thomas. We're counting on you." Anderson said. "Commander, you'll be leading the ground team while the chief scouts ahead for enemies. The last thing the Council wants is to get dragged into a major conflict with the Terminus Systems. We have to keep this low-key."

"Just give the word, Captain," Jane said.

"We should be getting close to Eden —" Anderson started only to be interrupted by the intercom.

"Captain! We've got a problem."

"What's wrong, Joker?"

"Transmission from Eden Prime, sir. You better see this!"

The screen then cut on showing a detachment of marines under heavy fire from an unknown enemy.

"GET DOWN!" one of the soldiers screamed at the person transmitting. The camera then turned, showing an officer.

"We are under attack! Taking heavy casualties. I repeat: heavy casualties! We can't…argh!

-eed evac! They came out of nowhere. We need —" he started before falling, injured. The screen then cut to static.

"Everything cuts out after that. No comm traffic at all. Just goes dead. There's nothing." Joker let us know.

"Reverse and hold at 38.5," the captain ordered. The screen turned back to what looked like some sort of warship.

"Seventeen minutes out, Captain. No other Alliance ships in the area." Came Joker's voice.

"Take us in, Joker. Fast and quiet. This mission just got a lot more complicated," Anderson said frustrated. "Thomas, Nihlus, grab your gear and meet us in the cargo hold." I gave a quick salute and jogged towards the crew's quarters.

I opened my locker and began to strap my armor on over my clothes. I then checked the sights on my pistol before slapping it against my thigh. I then grabbed my sniper and jogged my way to the elevator, catching it before Nihlus went down. I gave him a quick nod then began to tinker with my weapon.

It was an Equalizer III with a kinetic coil to help with the recoil and give a little extra acceleration for its rounds. I also paid a pretty penny to get an explosive ammunition mod that isn't exactly legal. Oh well, if all things work out, I'll have some leeway. Who's gonna deny an elite agent of the Citadel an advantage?

"Approaching drop point one," Joker announced over the intercom.

"Nihlus, you're coming with us?" Jenkins asked.

"I move faster on my own," he said before jumping out of the Normandy.

"Drop point two coming up fast," we were once again informed.

"That's you, Gunnery Chief. You're dropping on the other side of the forest than the commander's team. You'll be scouting the area and looking for survivors, preparing them for evac. Commander, you're the muscle in this operation. Go in heavy and head straight for the dig site."

I nodded then jumped out of the cargo bay, landing with a thump. I took note of my surroundings, large spikes used to impale the colonist. This is sick. I heard gunfire in the distance and saw the soldier from the transmission on the run from drones.

"Commander," I called over the comms, "Looks like there's drones in the area. There's a ton of coolant around too, maybe mechs. Keep it tight and stick to cover, there not playing around," I said as I scoped in on the two drones in the back. I fired, and the resulting explosion took them out, drawing the attention of some sort of synthetic soldiers. They raised their rifles and let loose a barrage as I waited for my sniper to cool down.

I popped out of cover and fired another shot, ripping the machines apart easily. "I'm going to confirm that suspicion. There's definitely some kind of synthetic life here." I said heading towards where the soldier ran. I met up with her and she was bent over catching her breath, the two other drones destroyed. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"Some burns and scratches, but I'll be fine. The others weren't so lucky. Oh man… We were patrolling the perimeter when the attack hit. We tried to get off a distress call, but they cut off our communications. I've been fighting for my life ever since."

"It's okay now. I'm here to get you out. Where's the rest of your squad?"

"We tried to double back to the beacon. But we walked into an ambush. I don't think any of the others…. I think I'm the only one left." She said sadly.

"This isn't your fault. You did the best you could given the situation. I'm Gunnery Chief Thomas Shepard of the SSV Normandy. What's your name?"

"I'm Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212. With all due respect, your all they sent to evac a colony?"

"I'm tougher than I look," I said motioning to the N7 logo I had engraved on my gun. "I could use your help gathering up other survivors, Williams. You game?" I asked checking the sight on my pistol.

"Aye, aye, sir. It's time for payback," she said gripping her Lancer tightly.

"Let's move out then, I need to scout out the dig site before the rest of the team gets there," I explained, "I'm going to link you to my hud. I'll be monitoring your vitals through it."

"Affirmative," she said linking her omni-tool to mine.

"Thomas," Jane's voice cut through the comms. "Thanks for the heads up about the drones. Jenkins is hurt, but he'll live because of your warning."

"Good," I replied, "I've met up with one of the marines stationed here and we're headed to scope out the dig site now."

"Understood, Shepard out."

"You mind letting me use that?" I said motioning to the sniper on her back.

"Sure, I'd prefer to use my assault rifle anyway," she said unclipping it and tossing it to me.

We made our way back to the clearing where I landed, and I began to note the number of enemies around the dig site.

"Seems to only be three troopers around it. No sign of the beacon though," I told Ashley. "Let's finish them off and wait for the commander." I then passed her back her sniper while pulling out my own. "I'll take the two at the dig site, you take the sentry," I said marking it for her. I aimed my shot between the other two troopers' feet and began my countdown. "On three. One. Two Three." I said, and we fired. My shot exploded between the two troopers, causing them to explode in a shower of sparks and flames. Ashley shot hers in the chest twice and it fell over, twitching but harmless.

"Come on," I said holstering the sniper and pulling out my pistol. We made our way over to the dig site and began to search through the wreckage. "Any idea where survivors may have went?"

"It's hard to believe anyone could have survived this," she said motioning to the scorch marks around the site, "but there's a camp at the top of the ridge. If anyone survived, they'll be there," she reasoned.

"And the beacon?"

"I'm not sure where it could have went. It was right here."

"Thomas," Jane shouted as she walked up with a limping Jenkins being supported by Kaiden. "Report."

"Beacons been moved. There's a camp at the top of the ridge that I'm going to search for survivors. Where's Nihlus, wasn't he supposed to meet us there?"

"Change of plans, he's checking out a spaceport not too far ahead. We're meeting him there. Who's this," she said motioning towards Ashley.

"Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams of the 212, ma'am." She barked off with a salute.

"Good to see you in one piece, chief. I need you to stay here with the rest of my team while Thomas and I clear out the camp ahead," she ordered as we heard a loud gunshot off in the distance.

"Sounds like Nihlus is having a good time," I mumbled.

"Up those ramps, go," Jane told me as she began to jog. We made our way to the camp and I noted the two buildings. I made my way over to them and Jane began to search the first while I hacked the second. I was almost done when I heard a screech behind me. I spun around, my pistol drawn, and fired into whatever that thing was.

"Jane, the colonists on the spikes aren't dead. They been transformed into some kind of synthetic-organic hybrid. Get out here and cover me," I yelled as I went back to the hack. Two more of the spikes dropped and two more of the colonist jumped off. I don't know if calling them colonists is fair, there barely husks of that. "Two more from the left Jane," I yelled as the door opened. I was flung to the ground suddenly and the husk was on top of me shooting sparks. My hud flashed alerting me that my shields had dropped, and I started to convulse as I was electrocuted. The husk was blown off me by who I assume was Jane and I just laid there trying to recover.

"You okay, Thomas?" Jane said rolling me over.

"Just need a second," I said with my eyes closed. "Check that building out."

She went into the building and called out a moment later, "Two more survivors here. One is mentally unstable but sedated."

"Got it," I said pushing myself up to my feet. I pulled my sniper off my back, only to notice the circuitry was fried in it. "Damnit, my sniper's busted Jane. Give me yours," I said annoyed. She walked out of the hut, locking it back, and gave me a sad smile.

"We'll get you another one," she said as she passed her sniper over.

"Yeah right, it took a half a year's worth of credits to get that ammo mod. Not to mention the other mods." I said moodily, adjusting the sights.

"Kaiden," she said over the comms, "Bring Williams and Jenkins up to the camp. There's a doctor here that will get Jenkins to a point where he can support the weight," she ordered. Around 5 minutes later the trio made there way up the ramps, over to where we were.

"Hi there, my names Dr. Warren," a woman introduced herself as she walked out of the building.

"Doctor," I nodded, "I assume that you've got medigel?"

"Yes," she said pulling out a pack and applying it to Jenkins leg and hip.

"What can you tell us about the attack?" I asked.

"It all happened so fast. One second we were gathering up our equipment. The next we were hiding in the shed while the geth swarmed over the camp. We could hear the battle outside. Gunfire. Screams. I thought it would never end. Then, everything went quiet. We just sat there, too afraid to move. Until you came along."

"What can you tell us about the beacon?"

"It's some type of data module from a galaxy-wide communications network. Remarkably well-preserved. It could be the greatest scientific discovery of our lifetime! Miraculous new technologies. Groundbreaking medical advances. Who knows what secrets are locked inside?" she said excitedly.

"Calm down doc, this isn't over yet," I reminded her.

"Right, I'm going to check on my assistant," she said heading back into the building.

"Keep it tight, squad," Shepard said as Kaiden and Jenkins fell into formation with her. Ashley gave me a glance and I nodded, I stood behind Shepard while she fell into step behind me in a diamond formation. We walked forward, and we ran into some more husks and two geth. I ran to cover and began to scope in on the soldiers while the rest of the team engaged the geth. I looked down my scope and fired, missing the head of the soldier but catching one of the cables causing coolant to spray out everywhere and the platform to overheat. Moving to the next geth, I held my breath and pulled the trigger again, popping the light in its head.

"It's clear, Commander," Kaiden called out.

"Jane, there's some buildings over here, I'm going to check them out," I said beginning the decryption on the door. About 10 seconds later the door slid open and someone called out,

"Everybody stay calm out there. We're coming out. We're not armed." Three people then exited the building. The one woman of the group asked,

"Is it safe? Are they gone?"

"You're okay now. Nobody's going to hurt you," I assured them.

"Those things were crawling all over the shed. They would have found us for sure. We owe you our lives," the man in the front admitted.

"I have to go," I said as Shepard motioned for me to come up on the platform.

"Hey, Cole. We're just a bunch of farmers. These guys are soldiers. Maybe we should give them the stuff." Said the other man who had been quiet at this point.

"Geez, Blake. You gotta learn when to shut up," the newly dubbed Cole shot out.

"Just tell me the truth, no one is gonna die over it," I said.

"Some guys at the spaceport were running a small smuggling ring. Nothing major. In exchange for a cut of the profits, we let them store packages in our sheds."

"You are aware that smugglings a crime, right Cole?"

"We're not hurting anybody! Hell, most of the time, I don't even know what's in the packages. I just thought there might be something we could use. I found a pistol. Figured it would come in handy if those things came back. But you'll probably get more use out of it than we will," he said passing over a stinger. I took it and have him a nod.

"Stay here, someone will be coming to evacuate you," I ordered as I jogged to the stairs. I hesitated as I saw Nihlus' body face down. I walked forward to ask Jane what happened when something made a noise behind the crates. I lifted the pistol and fired a quick shot out of reflex, causing a yell of pain to be heard.

"You should be more careful," I told the man I had shot in the arm.

"I... I'm sorry. I was hiding. From those creatures. My name's Powell. I saw what happened to that turian. The other one shot him."

"How did Nihlus die," Jane asked.

"The other one got here first. He was waiting when your friend showed up. He called him Saren. I think they knew each other. Your friend seemed to relax. He let his guard down...and Saren killed him. Shot him right in the back. I'm just lucky he didn't see me behind the crates."

"And the beacon?" she pressed.

"It's over on the other platform. Probably where that guy Saren was headed. We hopped on the cargo train right after he killed your friend. I knew that beacon was trouble. Everything's gone to hell since we found it. First that damn mother ship showed up. Then the attack. They killed everyone. Everyone! If I hadn't been behind the crates I'd be dead, too!"

"Hey, Powell," I said drawing his attention. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about a smuggling ring, would you?"

He rubbed his neck nervously at this. "What? No! I mean...what does it matter now? So I'm a smuggler? Who cares? My supervisor's dead. The entire crew's dead. It doesn't matter now, does it?"

"Got anything we can use?" I pressed.

"A shipment of grenades came through last week. Nobody notices if a few small pieces go missing from the military orders," he said passing them over.

"You greedy son of a bitch!" Ashley shouted angrily, "We're out here trying to protect your sorry ass and all you can think about is how you can rip us off?!"

"Easy Ashley," I said pushing her rifle down, "he's not even worth it," I then turned back to Powell. "A lot of marines died here, Powell. Those grenades could have come in handy. If I were you, I'd think of some way to make it up to them."

"Yeah. Okay." He strained out. "There is something else I was saving. Could be worth a fortune. Experimental technology. Top of the line. Take it. I don't need it. I didn't want anyone to get hurt. Really. I'm sorry," he apologized tossing a grenade mod our way.

"We need to find that beacon before it's too late," Jane said pushing our attention back to the mission.

"Take the cargo train. That's where the other turian went. I... I can't stay here. I need to get away from all this," Powell said heading back behind the crates.

We fell back into formation and made it to the platform holding the tram, after making quick work of some troopers. Although one did get a little close for comfort. Its shields ate up two shots from my sniper and it just kept charging. The train stopped, and I immediately noted the large bomb in front of us.

"Jane, we have a level 4 explosive here," I informed her. "I can disable them, but I need you to handle any geth that arrives." I launched the hacking program on my omni-tool while Jane, Kaiden, and Jenkins made their way to the platforms above us. Ashley stayed by my side, her rifle trained on the railing ledge above us.

"Thomas," Kaiden's voice cut through, "There's more up here. I'm working on one now, but we'll never make it at the rate. Push to the far side and take the one there," he instructed me.

"Easier said than done," I told Asley as I stood and pulled out my sniper.

"We're pinned down by a sniper, Thomas," Jane yelled through the comms. "Get rid of it." We made our way to the other pathway and was immediately under fire.

"They're grouped at the far end of the pathway. Remember the shock and awe tactic?" I asked, pulling out one of my cryo grenades.

"Do I ever," she replied, and I flung my grenade, managing to drop the shields and freeze some of them. Not a moment later a shockwave exploded, shattering those frozen and sending the ones who weren't flying. Two shots later and we were cleared of enemies. I ran over the bridge, dropping my sniper on the way and slid next to the bomb.

I opened up my omni-tool and tried to repeat the same process I had earlier, but it shorted out quickly. "Damnit, they had a virus embeded in this one, my omni-tool is fried," I yelled to the approaching group as I pulled off a panel and began clipping various wires. After clipping a series, I pulled two wires, one black and one blue. "Any ideas here?"

"Mom's favorite color is blue," Jane supplied helpfully. I quickly cut the black wire and the countdown flashed red before deactivating. I then turned to Ashley, who was approaching with my sniper in hand.

"When in doubt, do the opposite of whatever she wants with tech. She has the worst luck with these things," I said wisely, earning a kick from Jane that knocked me off balance. Jenkins pulled me to my feet and Ashley passed me the sniper, which I decided to holster in exchange for my pistol.

"Okay team let's finish this up and get that beacon ready for extraction," Jane ordered as we approached it.

Ashley began to get close before saying, "It wasn't doing anything like that when they dug it up."

"Something must have activated it," Kaiden supplied helpfully.

The beacon the started to emit a vibrant green color and Ashley began to be drug towards it by an unknown force. "Jane!" I yelled as I grabbed the girl and slung her towards my sister. I was then lifted into the air and images began to burn into my mind. It looked like some kind of machine slaughtering organics. Is this the geth? I didn't have much time to think because I was suddenly enveloped by darkness.

 _ **2 chapters down, probably around 8 to go for the first arc of the story. I'm trying to speed through the first game so I can get on to the real story. First things first, lets answer some questions asked by a reviewer.**_

 ** _1st why Thomas instead of the canon John name? The reason why I ask this is so I make know if this is a regular ME story or an insert one: This one is easy. I chose Thomas because this is an AU and I like that name better. I'm also writing an insert with the name Thomas, but it'll be a while before it shows up._**

 ** _2nd HOW THE F**K DID HE SLEEP THROUGH A F**KING WARZONE WHILE BEING AN N7: I'll admit, I thought of this one while I was writing and I have 2 explanations. 1st is that he is inside a shuttle, inside of a transport frigate. I would like to assume either the plating is thick enough, or there are some kind of noise dampeners in place to allow occupants to sleep. Also, they're both fresh out of N7 training. I'm sure there have been situations where they have to get sleep and must rely on the other to keep watch while they get rest. Thomas did ask Jane to wake him up, although she decided to let him get some sleep instead, not expecting to be raided on the human colony._**

 ** _3rd When you said maybe romance in the summary is that cause you can't figure out who to pair with who, or that your just not that confident in typing out romance scenes?: I said maybe because I believe in typing in spur of the moment decisions. In my other mass effect ff, it was going to be an OC/Ashley pairing, then I decided to kill her off before it ever fully developed. This caused much anguish and a thirst for revenge for the OC, which lasted for an extended amount of time, much like PTSD. It also was my best written chapter in that story, causing the most PMs, reviews, and even people wanting to quit reading the story because of how much it changed the protagonist. It was a risky, but rewarding chapter, and let's be honest, this is war. There's a good chance people will die._**

 ** _4th Will we see weapons/armors/powers/gear from later games being used early? Like the crew getting a crates full of the ME3 N7 class weaponry?: Okay, so yes and no to this question. The weapons and armors will have to wait because I am very specific when explaining my gear and I don't want to have to do it a dozen times throughout the story. Most weapons and armor will be available by the time we reach ME2. Powers WILL be available early, but not to everyone. You won't see some small pirate band with tactical cloaks or biotic charges, mainly because the L5 and L5x implants are still in the developmental stage. As for our special forces: N7s, Spectres, STG, Blackwatch, Commandos, they will have access to the technology much earlier while in the prototype stage. For example: Thomas' tactical cloak only last for very short bursts compared to in the game, and incinerate programs are rarely used because they have the tendency to burn both the user and the target._**

 ** _I hope that covers about everything you wanted to know, thanks for asking legitimate questions instead of just raging about how it will never make sense._**

 ** _This is Cloaked Protagonist,_**

 ** _Signing Off_**


	3. Chapter 3

I groaned and tried to roll over when I heard a voice. "Doctor? Doctor Chakwas? I think he's waking up." I then managed to sit up and covered my eyes.

"You had us worried there, Shepard. How are you feeling?" Dr. Chakwas asked me.

"I'm a bit sensitive to the light, but it's nothing serious. How long was I out?"

"About fifteen hours," she replied. "Something happened down there with the beacon, I think."

"It's my fault," Ashley cut in, "I must have triggered some kind of security field when I approached it. You had to push me out of the way."

"Don't worry about it. I'm fine and you had no way to know what would happen," I assured her, and she seemed to relax a bit at that.

"Actually, we don't even know if that's what set it off. Unfortunately, we'll never get the chance to find out." Chakwas said.

"The beacon exploded. A system overload, maybe. The blast knocked you cold. The Commander and I carried you back here to the ship," Ashley informed me.

"Thanks for that, I appreciate it," I told her causing her to show a small smile.

"Physically, you're fine other than a minor concussion. But I detected some unusual brain activity, abnormal beta waves. I also noticed an increase in your rapid eye movement, signs typically associated with intense dreaming."

"I saw… something. Death. Destruction. It's all kind of fuzzy right now." I told the doctor.

"Hmm. I better add this to my report. It may- Oh, Captain Anderson," Chakwas said, noting the arrival of the superior officer.

"How's our N7 holding up, Doctor?" he asked.

"All the readings look normal. I'd say he's going to be fine."

"Glad to hear it. Shepard, I need to speak with you. In private," he added giving a pointed look towards Ashley. She saluted him then made her way out of the med bay. "Sounds like that beacon hit you pretty hard, Chief. You sure you're okay?" he asked me.

"Chief Williams isn't part of the Normandy crew, what's she doing here?" I asked avoiding the question.

"I figured we could use a soldier like her. She's been reassigned to the Normandy," he informed me with a pointed look.

"She's a good soldier, she deserves it," I agreed.

"The rest of the team seems to agree with you. That's why I added her to our crew."

"You needed to talk to me privately, Captain?" I asked getting to the point.

"I won't lie to you, Shepard. Things look bad. Nihlus is dead. The beacon was destroyed and geth are invading. The Council's going to want answers."

"We did everything by the book. Hopefully, the Council can see that. I've got nothing to hide."

"I'll stand behind you and the report, Shepard. You and your sister are damned heroes in my books. That's not why I'm here. It's Saren, that other turian. Saren's a Spectre, one of the best. A living legend. But if he's working with the geth, it means he's gone rogue. A rouge Spectre's trouble. Saren's dangerous. And he hates humans."

"Why does he hate us?"

"He thinks we're growing too fast, taking over the galaxy. A lot of aliens think that way. Most of them don't do anything about it. But Saren has allied himself with the geth. I don't know how. I don't know why. I only know it had something to do with that beacon. Jane told me you were there just before the beacon self-destructed. Did you see anything? Any clue that might tell us what Saren was after?"

"I'm not too sure, Captain. I had some sort of vision before I lost consciousness, I think."

"A vision?" he asked. "A vision of what?"

"Some kind of warning. I saw synthetics slaughtering people. Butchering people. They were geth, maybe."

"We need to report this to the Council, Shepard."

"What will we tell them? I had a bad dream?" I joked weakly.

"We don't know what information was stored in that beacon. Lost Prothean technology? Blueprints for some ancient weapon of mass destruction? Whatever it was, Saren took it. But I know Saren. I know his reputation, his politics. He believes humans are a blight on the galaxy. This attack was an act of war! He has the secrets from the beacon. He has an army of geth at his command. And he won't stop until he's wiped humanity from the face of the galaxy!"

"We can handle it. I'm sure we can handle one Spectre."

"It's not that easy. He's a Spectre. He can go anywhere, do almost anything. That's why we need the Council on our side."

"It's worth a shot at this point. Every bit of help counts."

"I'll contact the ambassador and see if he can get us an audience with the Council. He'll want to see us as soon as we reach the Citadel. We should be getting close. Get some food then meet me in the councilor's office after the meeting. Feel free to bring someone with you also, better safe then sorry," he told me.

"Aye, aye, sir." I said saluting him as he turned and left. I made my way over to the kitchen and grabbed a protein bar and sat down next to where Ashley was at.

"I'm glad your okay, Chief. I'm not sure if I could have lived with being the reason you died on the mission," she told me.

"It's fine. Like I said before, nobody was seriously hurt," I shrugged it off.

"Part of me feels guilty of how it went down on Eden Prime. If my squad had survived, I might not be here," she confided in me.

"You're a good soldier, Williams. You belong here," I said firmly.

"Thanks, Commander. I appreciate that." I then sat my hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at me.

"Things were pretty rough down there. Are you okay?"

"I've seen friends die before. Comes with being a marine. But to see my whole unit wiped out... And you never get used to seeing dead civilians. But things would have been a lot worse if you hadn't shown up."

"You played a big role in the operation too. We couldn't have done it without you, Ashley."

"Thanks, Thomas. I have to admit, I was a little worried about being assigned to the Normandy. Especially when there's 3 different N7s assigned to it. It's nice when someone makes you feel welcome," she said with a friendly nudge.

"I think you'll fit in just fine around here," I said giving her another smile.

"Thanks, Gunnery Chief," she said giving me a mock salute.

"Right back at you, Gunnery Chief," I saluted back, standing up and leaving to get my armor out of my locker. Just about the time that I finished up I heard the VI announce that both Captain Anderson and Jane was off the ship, giving Pressley the deck. I walked back out and paused before yelling to Ashley. "Hey, Williams, suit up and meet me in the airlock," I said to which she just nodded, leaving her water bottle behind. I made my way to the bridge and sat down in the copilot seat.

"Hey, Joker," I said. "Anything interesting going on up here?"

"Just flying around the galaxy in the most expensive frigate made. You?" he said with a smile.

"Just getting blown up by technology made by the most advanced species ever known," I said with a shrug. "When are you going to let me fly this baby?" I asked looking through the diagnostics on my console.

"The same day I can beat you in a foot race," he said slapping his left knee, only to wince.

"Calm down there, superman. Don't want to break a nail. Or a bone," I mocked standing up. Ashley was making her way towards me.

"I'll remember that next time you need emergency evac," Joker called out as we stepped into the airlock.

"Initializing interior pressure with external atmosphere. Logged, Gunnery Chief Shepard and Williams are ashore." The ship's VI announced.

"How cute, it didn't even distinguish your separate ranks," came Joker's voice from the intercom.

"Shut up before I throw your crippled ass out of the ship," I joked as the door slid open. We stepped out of the airlock and made our way towards the elevator. It began it's slow decent and we stood there in an awkward silence.

"So, what are we doing here?" Ashely asked.

"Anderson, Udina, and Jane is giving the mission report to the council now. I'm supposed to meet them in Udina's office to see how it went."

"I'm here why?"

"Because apparently it's not safe to be alone when there's a rogue Spectre around," I said as the elevator slid back open. I walked forward to ask for directions to the embassies, but Anderson cut in over the comms.

"You there, Thomas?" he asked.

"I'm in c-sec now. What's up?"

"Things didn't go well with the council. The commander told the Council to get off their lazy asses and do something for once in their life, so our meeting was cut short," he told me as I held down a laugh and Ashley was openly laughing. "We're following up on a couple of leads here. I've sent Jane into Chora's den to get information on a c-sec officer that was investigating Saren. I want you to head to Barla Von, a financial advisor that works for the Shadow Broker. He should be able to tell us something useful."

"Got it, I'll head to the coordinates now."

I waved at Ashley to follow me and we made our way to the financial district where there was a lone cubicle. We enter and was greeted by a volus.

"Ah, Gunnery Chief Thomas Shepard. A pleasure to meet one of the heroes of Elysium. And Gunnery Chief Williams, so sorry to hear about what happened at your posting," he said taking a breath through his suit. "What can I help you with?"

"How do you know what happened on Eden Prime?" Ashley asked quickly.

"Information is what I do, ma'am. That is the reason you're here, is it not?" Von replied.

"We're looking for information that could help us incriminate Saren," I said not beating around the bush. "I'm willing to pay whatever it takes for it."

"Ah, I see," Von said taking another deep breath. "I'll tell you this information, on the house. The Shadow Broker recently hired a krogan by the name of Wrex to handle Fist, the owner of Chora's Den. Apparently there was a quarian with some information that she wanted to sell to the Shadow Broker, but Fist sold out to Saren. If you hurry, there may still be time to figure out where she is," he said dismissing us unintentionally. I jogged out the door and started up my comm link.

"Jane, I've got a lead on a quarian who got Saren's attention somehow. There's a mercenary named Wrex somewhere on the station, a krogan. He might be of some help. Any idea where he's at?"

"There was a krogan in Chora's Den when we got information on where Garrus, the turian investigating Saren, was. He was headed to c-sec last I heard. Want us to check it out?" Jane asked.

"Yes. I'm headed to Chora's Den with Ashley now. I'm about to have a little conversation with Fist," I said jogging down the stair and to the entrance of the club.

"Understood, keep in contact," Jane said before cutting our link off.

"Keep your weapons holstered, Ashley. I'm trying to get out of here with as little bloodshed as possible," I informed her.

"I'm with you. If any of them so much as twitch the wrong way, I'm taking them down," she informed me. We entered the club and made our way towards the offices in the back, only to be blocked by a krogan.

"Fist isn't seeing anybody right now, scram," he said pushing me back. Ashley went to reach for the assault rifle on her back, but I motioned for her to wait.

"The Shadow Broker sent me, said to work out a deal so the krogan that was in here earlier won't hunt him." I said convincingly. The krogan looked at me suspiciously before saying something into his comms and stepping aside.

"Fist will see you now. No funny business." I walked past him and through the doors before turning to Ashley and smirking. We walked into Fist's office to find him standing in front of his desk.

"Fist, I assume," I said motioning for Ashley to stay near the door. I walked past him and sat in his chair, propping my feet up on his desk. He turned and glared at me, opening his mouth to say something, but I cut him off. "I'll keep it really simple. You tell us where the quarian is, and we won't kill you," I gave him the ultimatum as I pulled his pistol out from where it was strapped in under his desk.

"That information the only thing keeping me alive, how am I supposed to know- ARGH!" he yelled at the end as I shot him in his knee, causing him to collapse on the floor.

"Ashley be a dear and keep any unwanted visitors outside while I handle this," I said, causing her to nod and step outside, drawing her rifle. The door slid closed and I turned back to Fist, who was reaching towards a button on the side of his desk. Another quick shot in his shoulder stopped him in his tracks. I rolled him over with my foot before stepping on his good hand.

"STOP! PLEASE!" he begged as I twisted my heel, slowly breaking the bones in his hand.

"Tell me what I want to know, then I'll stop," I said pressing down a little harder.

"I SET UP A MEETING NOT FAR FROM HERE! YOU CAN MAKE IT IF YOU LEAVE NOW!" he screamed in pain, desperate for relief. I stepped off him and walked towards the door, turning and firing another shot in his other leg before closing the door and jamming the locking mechanism. If c-sec get here fast, he'll live. Barely.

I walked out and saw what looks like the remains of a firefight. "Hey, bro. Thought you could use some help," Jane said as she walked towards us.

"No time. Take Ashley and clear a path to the embassies. I've got a quarian to save," I said pulling out my sniper and activating my tactical cloak. I sprinted into the alley and laid down, zooming in on the four people. One quarian, one turian, and two salarians. I scoped in on the turian, who was the biggest threat, and the quarian had just slapped his hand away. She threw a grenade and dived into cover, thankfully dropping the turians shield. I pulled the trigger and splattered the wall behind him with dark blue blood. I turned next to one of the salarians and shot a grenade in his hand, causing it to explode and kill the two of them. I stood up and walked down the stairway towards the quarian, who had the audacity to shoot me, dropping my shields. I rolled sideways into cover and holstered my sniper.

"Come out or I'll blow you to bits," came the female voice. I looked over and saw a primed grenade sitting right next to me. I stuck my hands out in front of me and stood.

"That's not a nice way of thanking your savior," I said pouting and nodding towards the grenade at my feet.

"Who are you," she pressed, not letting up.

"I'm Gunnery Chief Thomas Shepard with the Alliance. We're investigating Saren and I followed a lead that brought me to you," I said slowly bending over and clicking the button on the grenade, disarming it before picking it up. I walked forward and held it out to the quarian, who just stared before holstering her shotgun and taking it.

"I'm Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. I think I can help you," she said uncertainly, "but we shouldn't talk here."

"I've already sent people ahead to clear the way to the human embassy. We can talk there."

"I'm following you."

We made our way back towards the transit station, where a large krogan was heading towards Chora's Den. I called a sky car and put Tali in before turning to where he was walking and yelling, "YOU'RE WELCOME!" I then got in the sky car and pulled off.

"I never really thanked you for your help back there," Tali told me as we drove, rubbing her arm.

"I though the shotgun blast was your thanks?" I said with a smile. "Don't worry about it though."

"Yeah, sure," she mumbled, and we rode the rest of the way in silence. We made our way up to Udina's office and heard some talking as the door slid open.

"Why have you wasted my time with this meeting, Anderson? I do have other things to do then be at your beck and call," came Udina's voice. He then noticed us entering the office. "What's this? A quarian. What's going on here?"

"If you would shut up for 5 minutes, you would find out," Jane said as she stood besides Anderson. Blunt as always.

"Ambassador Udina," I greeted formally, sending an amused smirk in Jane's direction. "Allow me to introduce you to Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. The person who's going to help us prove that Saren is rouge," I motioned her forward and she began tapping on her omni-tool.

"I heard rumors of geth being outside the veil and tracked one down. I managed to disable it and recover this from its audio files." She said then hit the play button.

"Eden Prime was a major victory. The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the conduit."

"That's Saren's voice," Anderson exclaimed. "This proves he was involved in the attack."

"He said Eden Prime brought him one step closer to finding the conduit. Any idea what that means?" Jane asked.

"Maybe it's some kind of Prothean technology. Like a weapon," Anderson speculated.

"Wait, there's more, Saren wasn't working alone." Tali said playing the file again.

"And one step closer to the return of the reapers," came a female voice.

"I don't recognize that voice," Udina told us, "the one talking about reapers."

"It doesn't matter," I cut in, "we've got what we need."

"He's right," Anderson agreed fiercely, "No matter what else we get out of this, those audio files prove Saren's a traitor."

"You're both right," Udina agreed, "We need to present this to the council right away."

"What are we going to do about the quarian?" Jane asked.

"My name is Tali. The Gunnery Chief saw me in the alley, he knows I can take care of myself. Let me come with you."

"I thought you were on your pilgrimage?" I asked her.

"The pilgrimage proves we are willing to give ourselves for the greater good. What does it say about me if I turn my back on this? Saren is a danger to the entire galaxy. My pilgrimage can wait."

"A quarian might be helpful if we're fighting against geth," I gave my input, leaving it up to Jane.

"We'll take all the help we can get. Welcome aboard," Jane accepted her offer.

"Thanks," Tali said gratefully, "You won't regret this."

"Take a minute then meet us in the Citadel Tower," Udina said copying the evidence from Tali. "You need to make sure you are at this meeting, Gunnery Chief Shepard. The rest of the team can report back to the Normandy. We will be giving you instructions within the hour, Commander."

"Understood. You want to keep anyone around, Thomas?" Jane asked me as she made her way to the door.

"I'm sure I can handle this on my own. Go ahead and show everybody where they're staying. I'll meet you back at the ship."

With that I made my way out of the office with Udina and Anderson, to the Council Chambers. We stood in the elevator heading up the tower when Udina turned to where Anderson and I stood behind him.

"I'm going to be straight with you both. The Council will most likely do nothing to pursue Saren. They'll revoke his Spectre status and think that's the end of it," he informed us, "but I believe we all know this cannot be left alone."

"And what do you suggest we do, Udina?" Anderson said, seeing the truth behind his words.

"I'm going to push the Council to take action. They will obviously refuse, but there is an alternative," he said rotating his head to look me in the eyes. "I want you to suggest going after Saren yourself. Despite the recent disaster on Eden Prime, you went above and beyond to prove Saren's guilt. With a bit of luck, humanity will have a Spectre before the end of the day."

"Why bother to bring this up to us now? You could have easily done this after the meeting if things went right," I asked.

"To put it bluntly, you'll need your own ship for this mission. I want you to take command of the Normandy, while Captain Anderson and your sister attends to other business. I've arranged for Jane to be outfitted with L3 biotic implants, so she'll be out of commission until they take."

"You can't do this, it's the Captain's ship!" I argued.

"Unfortunately, he's right," Anderson agreed with a pained expression. "You'll have authority that we couldn't hope to have. You're the only one who can get this done."

"But- I'm just a Gunnery Chief. Half of our crew outranks me," I tried weakly.

"I'm sure we can arrange some sort of promotion with the Alliance," Udina cut in.

"Besides Shepard, you're an N7. You've already got the respect of the crew," Anderson encouraged.

"Alright just… let's just see how this meeting goes. If it is as fruitful as you believe it is, I'll do it," I said with a sigh.

 ** _Alright and that is a wrap. I'll be honest, I'm trying to rush through this part so I can get to some real action. Be sure to tell me if I'm rushing things too fast and I'll slow it down. Don't forget to comment, follow, and favorite._**

 ** _This is Cloaked Protagonist,_**

 ** _Signing Off_**


End file.
